Socks are the go-to example of a bad holiday gift from an uncaring gifter (or a relative who doesn’t really know you), but that’s an unwarranted reputation, if you ask me. If you’re in a cold weather climate, you wear thick ones every day, but chances are you don’t have 10 or 15 or even seven pairs to last you through a laundry cycle. If you have an office job, you need a lot of dress socks, and if you’re an athlete you may need specialty socks (I recently purchased cushioned running socks and they changed my life, or at least my feet), the list goes on. And all those socks don’t come cheap.

Socks are practical. Practicalities aren’t always fun or shiny or sexy, and that means they can be a let-down when left under the Christmas tree. For some, Christmas is a good excuse to ask for little luxuries they can’t really afford or don’t want to “waste” money on during the year, and that’s ok too. But practical things like socks can save you money, which is a great gift. This Reddit thread highlights some other practical things that would make great gifts for your cost-conscious friend, cousin, kid, whoever, including: